


Last Flight

by sturms_sun_shattered



Series: Rito Chronicles [6]
Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Character Death, Closure, Gen, Original Character Death(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-12
Updated: 2020-07-12
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:28:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25211686
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sturms_sun_shattered/pseuds/sturms_sun_shattered
Summary: Cyd and Genik prepare to burn out a bokoblin colony.Missing POV fromAge of IntoleranceChapter 25.
Series: Rito Chronicles [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1757296
Comments: 13
Kudos: 7





	Last Flight

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Marnige](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marnige/gifts).



> This takes place during chapter 25 of _Age of Intolerance_ (yeah, that chapter). If you don’t know what that means I advise you to turn back.

It was late afternoon and the early summer sun shimmered off the long grass near the Rito Stable. Cyd sat on a log behind the stable, binding cloth around greenwood branches for torches. He already had several sitting in a pail of oil in preparation for the attacks that the Rito had planned. Cyd sincerely hoped this was the last time he would have to do this.

“I’ve never seen you so hard at work.”

Cyd glanced up at the sea green Rito, who regarded him with a half-smile.

“You’re funny, Genik,” said Cyd darkly, “just wait until you no longer have me to tease.”

“Goddess, don’t leave me alone with Harth. He’s been a second shadow to me all day.”

“Well, it won’t be tonight. Teba requested that I go with you to deal with the new bokoblin colony on the southeast road.”

“Just us three, then,” sighed Genik, “it feels as though we’re spreading ourselves too thin.”

“It’s like...five bokoblins,” shrugged Cyd.

Genik glanced back toward the front of the stable where the Rito warriors had gathered—ostensibly checking that Harth was not trailing after him again—then sat back against a tree stump to observe Cyd. Cyd thought he fought well with the warriors after three years of guarding Rito Stable, but Genik was the only one he counted among his friends. He seemed endlessly fascinated by even the most mundane aspects of Hylian life—though the Rito tendency to ask about topics that Hylians might find wildly inappropriate had left Cyd spluttering more than once.

“Kass and Amali’s eggs hatch yet?” Cyd asked his companion.

“Not yet. Soon I should think.”

Cyd placed his last torch in the pail.

“Genik, can you read?”

“Of course I can read,” said Genik, a hint of annoyance creeping into his voice, “why would you ask that?”

“I don’t know how well your people read...”

“Is this mere curiosity?”

“I’ve received a letter,” said Cyd, “but I can’t read it. Normally I’d ask Kass, but I imagine he’s got his hands—er—wings full right now.”

“Are you saying _you_ can’t read?” Genik asked in surprise.

“No...I can’t at all. I never learned.”

Genik held out his wing and Cyd broke the Stable Association seal and unfolded the single page before he handed it to Genik.

“Cyd,” Genik read, “on behalf of the Stable Association Board of Directors, your request for transfer to Gerudo Canyon Stable has been denied. There are no guard positions available at this time. Nikalph, Stable Association Board of Directors...”

Cyd looked down at his work as Genik stared at him in surprise. He didn’t want the warrior to see the tears of frustration that were building in his eyes. All Cyd had wanted was to be near his wife and daughter in Gerudo Town.

“I didn’t think you had really planned to leave.”

Cyd cleared his throat and quickly swiped his sleeve across his eyes.

“I just...I want to see my little Hanin grow up,” said Cyd, “she must be so much taller than when she left.”

“Cyd,” said Genik, reaching out to rest a wing on his forearm, “you aren’t bound here. You’re free to live and travel as you wish.”

“I wonder if I’ve grown to old and soft for a life without the comfort of a mattress and my weekly pay.”

“If that’s what’s holding you back, perhaps you don’t deserve to see your daughter,” said Genik, absently pulling out his falcon bow to check for faults.

“Why would you say that?”

“Did something happened between you and Murera?” Genik pressed.

“You are a perceptive little shit,” Cyd grumbled, wondering how had Genik noticed what Kass had failed to.

“Believe it or not, I know a little bit about keeping peace in a marriage. I was bullied into a match with Misa, and I wasn’t her first choice either. I would have left her a thousand times before Fyson was hatched,” he set down his bow beside him and began to inspect his feathered edge, “but then something strange happened—I began to see we had something in common...we had made something together. Misa is not the love of my life, but she has become my partner. We both want Fyson to grow up in a peaceful home, knowing that he is loved in a way that neither of us...”

Genik cleared his throat as he trailed off and focused hard on buffing a tiny smudge from his blade.

“We fought about her returning to Gerudo Town,” Cyd admitted, “she has a bad temper and...said she never wanted to see my face again.”

“Even if you love one another things aren’t always perfect. Go apologize. Your pride isn’t worth your family.”

“Genik, I never took you as wise or bold.”

“I’ve only recently learned not to hesitate...I’ve left too many important things unsaid...”

Cyd did not have a chance to press Genik any further on this as Harth chose that moment to arrive.

“Hylian, you coming with us?” Harth asked.

“You know my name, Harth,” said Cyd acidly as he removed the torches from the oil, letting the excess drip back into the pail.

“It’s time we leave,” Harth insisted.

Cyd set out the torches at the front of the stable for the rest of the hunting parties and quickly tacked up his horse. It had grown dark by the time they were ready to leave. Genik and Harth took off in awkward silence and Cyd followed them, pushing his horse into a trot along the southeast road toward the Tabantha Frontier. As he glanced up at the sky, he thought he could hear Genik and Harth’s voices, both laced with ire as they bickered. Cyd had learned long ago that he was profoundly disinterested in anything that Harth thought and it sounded as though Genik felt the same.

It wasn’t long before they were in sight of the burgeoning bokoblin colony. It rested at the mouth of the pass where the rock extended across the two walls, providing cover from both rain and sun. The bokoblins had begun to build their home in the typical levelled fashion. It was far from complete, the lopsided wooden boards overlapping and covered with animal pelts. One bokoblin stood watch on a platform while the others slept around a fire beneath the structure.

Genik and Harth circled above as Cyd slid from his horse and looped his reins around a protuberance in the rock face. He barely had time to draw his broadsword before Genik dropped into a dive to take out the guard. As Cyd ran up the hill, panting with the effort, he heard Harth’s whistle. He knew this one—enemies approaching.

“From where?” Cyd shouted as an arrow whizzed close—too close—and caught in his cloak.

“In the pass!” called Genik “just burn that thing!”

Cyd pulled the torch from his back, still holding his broadsword in defence. A bokoblin squalled above him as Cyd thrust the torch into the monsters’ fire. He moved as it shot at him, squealing in anger as the arrow flew harmlessly past.

“I could use some cover!” Cyd hollered to the warriors.

When neither responded to his call, Cyd made a noise of disgust and raced up the rickety stairs to meet the bokoblin. The structure was not even as secure as its tenuous appearance had suggested, and Cyd’s boots broke through the wood. He was stuck, his feet not quite able to reach the ground, his arms and shoulders too broad the squeeze through the splintery hole. He flung the torch at the bokoblin as it notched an arrow in his direction, and it leapt from the platform in fear.

“Cyd!” came Genik’s shout from above as Cyd struggled drag himself up onto the unstable boards.

Genik’s eyes widened as Cyd heard the sound of an arrow hitting its mark. He did not make a sound as he fell and his delicate body hit the road with a terrible softness. Cyd realized that the shot had come from the bokoblin below and Cyd threw himself from the platform onto the creature, leaving his broadsword buried in its flesh as he tore up the road toward Genik.

Genik looked more surprised than hurt as he stared at the arrow that had pierced the aging leather of his cuirass. Cyd slid to a stop beside the warrior, and held his face with both hands.

“Genik.”

“Shit,” Genik breathed with a little hitch that might have been a terrified laugh.

“Harth!” Cyd shouted toward the pass, “Genik you’re fine. You’re alright.”

Cyd’s shaking fingers dug beneath the feathers, fluffed in shock, and he could feel the distressing coolness of Genik’s skin beneath. Harth landed, his expression as unsettled as Cyd had ever seen it. He knelt down beside Genik and pressed his wing to Genik’s side to feel to for his heart beat.

“Cyd,” Genik panted shallowly, “take me home.”

Cyd glanced up at Harth whose distress was written all over his face. Harth’s eyes met Cyd’s and he nodded grimly.

“I’ll go on ahead,” said Harth.

Genik reached up to grasp Harth’s elbow with his shaking wing. Harth returned the warrior’s exchange.

“I’m sorry,” Genik told him.

“Me too.”

Harth ground his beak as he took off toward in the direction of the village. Cyd snapped the shaft from the arrow and cast it aside. He yanked the drawstring on his cloak and wrapped it as gently as he could around Genik’s fragile body. Cyd lifted him easily, and Genik barely protested as Cyd lifted him onto the horse ahead of him.

Genik leaned back against Cyd as they set off as quickly as Cyd dared. He rested his head on Cyd’s shoulder as his breath came in a shallow rattle. Cyd was already on the verge of crying as he held Genik close with one arm, smoothing the feathers in his wing in what he hoped was a comforting motion.

“Just keep your eyes open,” Cyd begged of him, “you need to see Fyson again.”

“I’m sorry, tell him I’m sorry,” Genik whispered, his voice breaking, “don’t tell him I’m scared.”

“You tell him,” Cyd urged as they reached the edge of Lake Totori.

“What—” gasped Gesane helplessly as the young guard met them at the edge of the bridge.

“Help me!” Cyd called.

Gesane dropped his spear and reached up to take Genik as Cyd slid from his horse. Genik whimpered as Cyd gathered him in his arms.

“You’re alright, we’re so close,” Cyd told him, his throat aching.

“I’m getting Teba,” Gesane said in a panic.

Gesane left his post and leapt out over the lake in flight as Cyd carried Genik across the bridge. Genik’s breaths continued in shallow gasps as his head lolled against Cyd’s chest.

“Keep your eyes open,” Cyd pleaded, as they reached the first stack, “it’s nearly sunrise.”

“...tell them...I love them...”

“Genik. Genik!”

Cyd’s hand searched desperately for a lifebeat as Genik’s body grew slack in his arms.

“No no no no no...fuck! Goddess... _fuck_!”

His knees hit the grass as he held Genik tightly and pressed his forehead to the Rito’s, trying to hold back the pain that so desperately tried to escape from behind his clenched teeth.

“I’m so sorry,” Cyd hissed, his voice breaking unnaturally.

Cyd lifted his head and took a few despairing breaths. He still needed to take Genik home. He forced himself to stand and walked numbly to the next bridge. Teba and Harth landed beside him on the next stack, their faces grim.

“Do you want me to take him?” Teba asked gently.

Cyd shook his head and held him a little closer. Whatever that had been in Genik the day before—that essence that read to Cyd and offered advice—Cyd knew it was gone. Genik had grown hollow and left them all with only a shell to testify that he had ever been there at all.

“He’s my friend,” Cyd whispered.

“Alright. I’ll see to Misa,” Teba said as he took off.

Harth walked silently ahead of them. They reached the village in the earliest rays of morning light and Cyd felt a surge of bitterness that Genik could not see the way the sky grew pale above and apricot in the east. Harth gestured for Cyd to lay Genik beside the Goddess Statue. Cyd knelt and set him gently on the boards and carefully took back his cloak. As Cyd straightened the braids and adjusted the limp wings, he couldn’t fight the tears building in his eyes.

“I hope she keeps you,” Cyd whispered to Genik, smoothing the feathers on his forehead, “you will be sorely missed.”

When Cyd stood, he heard Misa’s shriek as she pushed past him to throw herself down by her husband. Cyd sniffed hard and wiped his eyes as he turned to face Teba and Harth where they stood solemnly on the landing.

“I’ll tell Kass and Amali.”

**Author's Note:**

> Marnige, I hope this gives you closure <3


End file.
